Owners of pickup trucks commonly use accessories to increase the functionality and aesthetics of their vehicles. The cargo bed, in particular, has been a focus of owner attention. Bed liners are used for protection in hauling and facilitating removal of cargo. Metallic textured caps are available as sidewall and tailgate protectors. Bed mounted tool boxes provide for decorative and functional transportation of tools.
Structural and aesthetic truck rails are available in many designs for providing structural attachment locations for to lash cargo, support oversize loads and enhance the appearance of the truck. Such truck rails extend in opposed pairs along the top of the side walls, and are stake pocket or drill mounted thereon. Tubular truck rails are common and available in a variety of exterior finishes, generally including stainless steel, black paint or chrome plate as representatively disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,997,227 to Bundy and 5,642,971 to Ragsdale. The tubular designs provide limited attaching locations for common cargo straps such as elastic straps with hooked ends, such as bungee straps. Tubular projections such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,648 to Rowe and perforated bars as disclosed in United States Published Application No. 2002/0012576 to Anderson have been proposed for decorative as well as improved cargo lashing. While providing additional locations for tie-down systems, they are not particularly amenable to hooked lashings.